Dear Colleague,

Molecular plant protection has entered a decisive era in which biology, regulation, technology, and entrepreneurship no longer advance in parallel, but converge into a single transformative force. Over the past two decades, advances in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, gene editing, RNA interference, peptide science, microbial and symbiont engineering have fundamentally reshaped entomology, plant pathology, and weed science. These tools no longer merely describe biological systems; they actively direct molecular outcomes in agriculture. Sustainability, once an aspiration, is now emerging as a measurable and testable biological architecture.

Within this global transformation, the International Molecular Plant Protection Congress (IMPPC) series has evolved into one of the world’s most influential platforms shaping the molecular future of plant protection.

IMPPC2019 (Adana) marked the first global declaration of molecular plant protection as a standalone scientific discipline, bringing together 42 keynote speakers and pioneering discussions.

IMPPC2023 (Bursa) expanded this vision with 87 keynote speakers and 41 companies and was defined by the Opening Lecture of Prof. Craig C. Mello, whose discovery of RNA interference directly connected fundamental biology to modern RNAi-based agricultural technologies.

Building on this accelerating legacy, IMPPC2026 will take place on May 17–21, 2026, at the Limak Limra Hotel, Antalya, co-organized by Ankara University and leading institutions of the Republic of Türkiye, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, including the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, the General Directorate of Food and Control, and the Department of Training and Publication.

IMPPC2026 will convene more than one hundred keynote and invited speakers, senior regulators, policy-makers, and industry leaders, forming one of the most comprehensive global gatherings ever assembled in molecular plant protection. The scientific backbone of the congress is reinforced by three Nobel Laureates, whose discoveries define modern molecular biology:

• Prof. Brian Kobilka (Nobel Prize in Chemistry) – GPCR biology and molecular targeting underpinning peptide-based biopesticide design.
• Prof. Craig C. Mello (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) – discovery of RNA interference, the foundation of RNAi-based plant protection.
• Prof. Martin Chalfie (Nobel Prize in Chemistry) – GFP technology, revolutionizing molecular visualization and diagnostics.

A Scientific Program Led by Global Authorities

The IMPPC2026 scientific program spans RNAi- and peptide-based biopesticides, microbial and symbiont-based platforms, enzyme technologies, resistance management, molecular diagnostics, and regulatory science. These domains define the operational architecture of sustainable agriculture and embody the congress theme One Wor(l)d: Sustainability.

Regulatory Roundtable – Global Leadership in Action

At the core of IMPPC2026 lies the Global Regulatory Roundtable on Next-Generation Biopesticides, structured as a high-level, science-driven and policy-relevant forum.
The Regulatory Roundtable will be moderated by Prof. Russell L. Groves (University of Wisconsin–Madison), with opening and closing scientific reflections delivered by Prof. Craig C. Mello, directly linking the discovery of RNA interference to contemporary regulatory and implementation challenges.

The Roundtable will bring together senior regulatory authorities, academic leaders, and industry decision-makers, including:
– U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
– DG SANTE (European Commission)
– Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), Brazil
– Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye

Academic leadership within the Roundtable will include Prof. Raul F. Medina (Texas A&M University), whose expertise in population genetics, resistance evolution, and ecological risk assessment directly informs regulatory frameworks.
The International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) will participate to represent global industry alignment and implementation perspectives.
From the industrial innovation side, GreenLight Biosciences will be represented at vice-presidential level through Dr. Peter McCahon, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, ensuring direct insight into real-world regulatory pathways for RNA-based technologies.

Discussions will focus on regulatory frameworks for RNAi-based technologies (IRAC Group 35), peptide-based bioinsecticides (IRAC Group 32), environmental fate and non-target testing standards, resistance management, and convergence across OECD-, EPA-, and EU-relevant evaluation systems. This Roundtable is positioned to leave a lasting global imprint on how next-generation biologicals are evaluated and authorized worldwide.

Innovation Street – Entrepreneurship at the Front Line

Complementing the regulatory and scientific core of the congress, Innovation Street returns in 2026 as a flagship evening event curated and moderated by Dr. Pam Marrone, one of the most influential pioneers of the global biologicals industry.
Innovation Street will feature Andrey Zarur, Founder and CEO of GreenLight Biosciences, in a candid, live dialogue tracing the full founder’s journey from molecular discovery to global deployment of RNA-based technologies. This session offers an unfiltered view of fundraising, regulatory navigation, market adoption, and the realities of scaling molecular innovation.

A Congress with Strategic Purpose

IMPPC2026 is not merely a scientific meeting. It is a strategic global platform where discovery, regulation, entrepreneurship, and societal responsibility converge. Supported by Türkiye’s leading scientific societies and international partners across entomology, plant pathology, weed science, biological control, molecular biology, and crop protection, the congress brings together an ecosystem committed to redefining plant protection through molecular precision.
With this mission, One Wor(l)d: Sustainability becomes not only a vision, but a shared global responsibility.

We look forward to welcoming you to Antalya for a congress that will not only showcase the future of molecular plant protection, but actively help define it.

Warm regards,